Nothing Could Keep Us Apart
by Mmegreek
Summary: Clare and Eli are finally together, and their relationship stronger then ever. Meanwhile, KC's life is falling apart due to Jenna's pregnancy. Clare and KC grow closer, reviving old feelings. How will this affect Clare and Eli's newly kindled love?
1. A New Start

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Chapter One: A New Start

Clare Edwards opened her locker, looking zealously for her English notebook, which was nowhere to be found. She shifted books and papers around, making a mess of her locker, only to be disappointed. She now had a disordered locker, and no notebook.

"Ugh, come on!" Clare muttered to herself, trying to retrace her steps that would hopefully lead her to her missing notebook. She nervously tapped her foot as she was thinking, but couldn't even remember where she had it last.  
"Looking for something?" a familiar voice teased from behind her locker door. Clare looked up to see Eli Goldsworthy standing in front of her, dawning his adorable crooked smile.

Regardless of her vexed mood, she couldn't help but smile at the sight of her new boyfriend. Ahhhh, "boyfriend". What a great word, Clare thought. And she finally had one. A good one. She knew that Eli would treat her better than KC had last year, because Eli had something that KC lacked: a completely real personality. It was refreshing to be with somebody who wasn't afraid of telling Clare what was on his mind, be it his past or a critique on her writing. KC always bottled up his feelings, leading to one big explosion of a break-up that left Clare betrayed and heart-broken. Not this year, Clare thought.

"No, I just felt like completely overturning my locker. You know how I hate it when things are in a neat and orderly fashion," Clare smirked, her eyes playfully gleaming up at Eli.

"Huh," Eli answered, now leaning against the lockers, his hands behind his back. "Cause it looks to me like you're looking for something. Maybe...this?" Eli took his hands from behind his back, displaying a blue spiral notebook with the word "English" scrawled on the cover with a black sharpie.

"My notebook!" Clare squealed as he handed the notebook to her. "Where did you find it?" Clare asked.

"You left it at my place yesterday," Eli answered. Clare and Eli had a study session the night before, both reading each other's English assignments.

"Oh, right," Clare said, feeling stupid for her mind not first snatching the idea that maybe she left the notebook at Eli's house. "Well, thanks. You saved me hours worth of panic," Clare claimed, as she shut her locker. She slid her notebook into her bag, while walking with Eli to English class. As they walked through the colorful blue and yellow halls of Degrassi Community School, Eli slipped his fingers through Clare's. A perfect fit, Clare thought, as the touch of his hand to hers caused a rush of chills to travel up her arm and through the rest of her body. While gliding through the hallway, Clare took a peek at Eli's profile. His dark mop of hair, which had a way of looking perfect yet disheveled at the same time, hung over his forehead, side-swept.

"So, you never told me what you thought of my monologue," Eli mused, eyes glancing down at Clare.

"Oh, right. Well, it was...thorough." Clare was putting thorough in lighter terms. Frankly, his monologue, which was written for a very dark character who was coping with the death of his parents and his struggle to return to normalcy, was never-ending. Clare's opinion was that there was much more detail than need-be, and Eli would do well to shorten it up a bit.

"I know you way too well to think that that was a compliment, Clare," Eli replied, hanging his backpack over the back of his chair. Both Clare and Eli were now seated at their desks in Mrs. Dawes' English class. Eli turned around in his seat, placing his elbows on Clare's desk. "Spill," Eli bid.

"Well," Clare hesitated, "Reading it sort of...tired me out. I felt like I was reading a never-ending monologue. Maybe, shorten it up? Get to the point. There's no way that one person could be thinking so many things in one monologue. Try omitting the stream of consciousness." Clare let out a sigh, finally done with the criticism.

Eli sat, looking up at the ceiling, as if thinking, and slowly nodded his head.

"I'll see what I can do," he smiled, his eyes sparkling. Eli then turned around as Mrs. Dawes began to start the lesson.

Clare was satisfied with Eli's reaction to her critique, relieved that he didn't get defensive or angry. He was just so, perfect. KC would have made excuses for himself and somehow put the blame on somebody else. But not Eli. The boy she would do anything for. Her perfect match. Clare knew that nothing could keep them apart.


	2. Concerns

Chapter two: Concerns

After an intriguing English class where Clare and Eli had an endless debate in front of the class about Hamlet's sanity in _Hamlet_, and a grudgingly slow Algebra class, school was finally over for the day.

"And now we have one more day of higher education under our belts," Eli said joyfully, relieved that he didn't have to be cooped up in a stuffy classroom for the rest of the day.

"Ahhh, and I feel so much wiser!" Clare joked spreading her arms out and hanging her head back as if attempting to hug the sky. Eli chuckled, smiling as he looked down at the steps in front of the school. The couple was headed towards the school parking lot, when suddenly, Clare was pushed to the ground, her books spilling onto the pavement. Eli immediately leaned down to help her, glaring up at the culprit.

"Clare, I – I'm so sorry. I...I gotta go," KC Guthrie stammered picking up his bag and walking as fast as he could with his head hanging down like a sick puppy.

"What?" was all Clare could muster as her eyes curiously followed the seemingly upset KC.

"What a jerk," Eli jeered, eyes narrowed in KC's direction. He helped pick up Clare's books and gently placed them back into her bag.

Clare stayed silent, wondering what could be wrong with KC. Clearly something was off about him, not that he ever had it together. Clare furrowed her eyebrows in concentration as she studied the situation.

"Are you ok?" Eli asked, a concerned look spread across his face.

"Yeah, yeah, I'm fine," Clare answered quietly. "Let's just go," and they proceeded to head over to Eli's hearse.

Once inside the car all was silent.

"So...," Eli said, eyeing Clare cautiously, assuming she was just shaken from the fall. "What do you wanna do? Study at my place again? Or maybe your place? Or, we could grab a burger at The Dot," Eli offered, sticking the key into the ignition. The car whirred to life.

"Uh, actually I think I wanna go home. I have a lot of homework, and then I have this thing at my church tonight. I promised my mom I would go," Clare answered.

"This thing?" Eli asked suspiciously. "Clare, if you don't want to be with me right now you can just say it." Eli said, a stern look on his face.

"No, really it's the truth Eli. You can even ask my mom if you want," Clare argued, not wanting to start a fight. They hadn't had a fight before as a couple, and she didn't want to start a new trend now.

"Are you seriously still upset that that jerk knocked you down?" Eli asked. "It wasn't exactly a life changing event." Eli's hands were on the steering wheel, but he didn't put the car into drive.

"Of course not, Eli," Clare lied, plastering a reassuring smile on her face. "I'm not a drama queen."

Eli stared at Clare for a few seconds until he was convinced that he believed her, and let go of the subject.

"Alright, alright, didn't mean to pry," Eli assured, finally driving out of the parking lot.

Upon arriving at Clare's house, Eli stopped the car at the walkway.

"Thanks for the ride Eli," Clare said, putting her hand over his and running her thumb across his wrist.

"Anything for you, " he smiled, making her melt. Eli then tucked a lock of Clare's red hair behind her ear and leaned in to kiss her. His lips felt warm against hers, and they knew which way to move, causing her knees to weaken. Clare wondered if that effect was even possible sitting down. Clare's fingers touched the nape of his neck, not wanting this moment to end. This kiss felt like endless possibilities between Clare and Eli. They had a brand new slate, with absolutely no blemishes.

After about two minutes of kissing, Eli finally pulled away, knowing it was time for Clare to go. Clare's head was spinning and her cheeks were flushed, causing Eli to chuckle.

"Don't worry, you have that exact same affect on me," he teased, kissing her forehead.

"Bye Eli," Clare said, reluctant that she had to go inside. She got out of the car, strapped her bag on her shouldered, and waved goodbye.

"I'll call you, ok?" Eli yelled through the passenger window.

"I'll hold you to that," Clare joked, knowing Eli would keep his word.

Clare proceeded to walk into her house, setting her bag down on the kitchen table. She opened the fridge and grabbed a Gatorade. Sitting at the table, her mind went back to her encounter with KC. As she sipped her Gatorade, her concern for him was growing. What was wrong? Was he in trouble? Even though he hurt Clare, leaving her for Jenna, she couldn't help but worry about him. She didn't hate KC, and still cared for him, but not the way she used to.

I just wish there was a way I could help KC, with whatever he was going through. But that was Jenna's job now. Jenna stole him from her, so she was stuck with the drama as well. At least that's the way Alli had worded it. But did Clare really feel that way? Did she just want to let go of all concerns over KC?

With these thoughts flooding her head, Clare felt overwhelmed. She went up to her bedroom, and within a split second, all her worries deteriorated as her eyes fell upon the headphones that Eli had leant Clare a while back. Eli is whom I should be concerned with now, Clare thought. She put the headphones over her ears, turned on her ipod, and let all her troubles wash away.

(I hope you guys like it so far! Any comments? Do you think I'm taking this story in the right direction? =D )


	3. I Need You

Chapter 3: I Need You

KC Guthrie walked home as fast as he could, feeling more stupid than ever. I can't even walk right without bumping into people, and Clare of all people, KC thought angrily.

He entered the apartment building and forcefully pressed the elevator button. The elevator seemed to be taking forever. Ever since KC found out about Jenna's pregnancy, his newly stable world came crashing down, and he had no say in anything. How can Jenna not want an abortion, KC thought. Doesn't she know that a kid would ruin our lives?

It's not like KC wanted to harm Jenna by having her go through the abortion. He just believed that it's worth the risk if it would help them in the long term. She had her dreams to become a singer, and KC wanted to make it through high school in one piece, and a baby would send them both on a detour. All of this could have been prevented had Jenna not been so irresponsible and gone to the freaking doctor when she first started feeling the symptoms, KC was thinking, beginning to fume again.

Yes, KC felt angry, and he knew that he was being a jackass by abandoning Jenna, but what he mostly felt was helplessness. He couldn't go through one day of school now without feeling ashamed and lost.

KC pulled out his house keys and opened the door to his apartment.

"Heyyy honey!" his mom yelled from the kitchen. She walked over and gave KC a kiss on the cheek. "How was your day?" As she was waiting for an answer, she continued chopping carrots.

"Oh, you know. Same old, same old," KC answered quietly, just wanting to go to his bedroom and think things out on his comforting bed.

"Fine, be a teenager and give the answer every parent hates!" KC's mom teased, smirking at KC. "How's Jenna doing? I haven't seen her around here lately," his mom noted. KC hadn't told her about the break-up, and he certainly didn't tell her about the pregnancy.

"She's doing just great mom," KC answered, getting nervous at the topic of Jenna.

"Well, you should invite her over for dinner sometime. She's a great girl, I really do like her," she said, putting the knife down and looking at her son.

"Uh-huh, hey mom, I'm really wiped out from school and football practice. I think I'm gonna crash for a while." KC replied, wanting more than anything to put this downhill conversation to an end.

"Okay, I'll call you when dinner's ready," she smiled.

KC entered his bedroom, dropped his backpack and duffle bag, and practically fell onto his bed. As soon as he had quiet, his thoughts rushed back into his head.

He began thinking about the pregnancy again, knowing that these thoughts had been running into his mind over and over again, and yet he still felt like crap. Heneeded a support system. Jenna wasn't the only one who was alone now, plus, she has her brother to support her. KC had nothing. He couldn't tell his mom or any of his friends, because they would automatically judge him for abandoning Jenna. But he knew one person who wouldn't judge him. Clare couldn't judge anyone. She was the nicest, most pure-hearted person he knew. And yet he acted vile towards her. She didn't deserve what he did to her. But now she seems to be happy, and I'm miserable, KC thought. I had it coming.

Maybe it was fate that I bumped into Clare, KC mused, his hands behind his head as he lay on his bed. Of all of the people at Degrassi, Clare was the one standing there. Now, thinking about Clare made his heart feel empty, because he knew he had messed up with her, but all he wanted was for them to be friends again. Right now, he needed Clare more than ever.


	4. Broken Headphones

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Chapter 4: Broken Headphones

Clare walked down the stairs the next morning, her hair still damp from the shower, and headed towards the kitchen. She opened a cabinet, grabbing a box of Cheerios, and prepared her breakfast.

She was just about finished with her cereal, when she heard a car honk. Clare grabbed her bag and proceeded out the door. Her heart started palpitating at an extremely fast speed when she saw Eli waiting for her in his hearse. Never in her life did she fathom that she would find a guy driving a hearse attractive. But Eli made it happen.

"Good morning, sunshine," Eli said as Clare entered the car. He was obviously mocking the rather cliché expression.

"Hey!" Clare chirped, giving him a quick kiss. Mmmm, mint Clare thought, still tasting his toothpaste. Eli began to drive, heading to Degrassi.

"So, how are you doing?" Eli asked, the wind blowing his hair back. He was resting his arm on the open window. "Did ya dream about me?" he joked, dawning a quirky smile.

"Haha, very funny," Clare quipped sarcastically, suddenly feeling nervous. She had had a dream last night, but it wasn't about Eli. It was about KC.

In her dream, she was at Degrassi. Clare was at one end of the hallway, and KC was at the other. She was trying to run towards him, but he kept getting farther away. As she ran further down the hallway, Jenna suddenly appeared, blocking KC. She was about to say something to Clare, when all of a sudden, she dematerialized into thin air, leaving Clare free to walk up to KC. She finally reached him, but she felt something crunch beneath her show. She looked down to find Eli's headphones, broken in pieces.

Clare had woken up in a cold sweat, her chest quickly rising and falling as she tried to catch her breath.

Clare realized that all was too quiet in the hearse thanks to her mind wandering, but before she could open her mouth, they were already at Degrassi.

Both Clare and Eli exited the car and headed towards the building.

"Hey, Eli?" Clare said.

"Yeah?" Eli asked, putting his arm around her as they walked, making Clare feel protected.

"How about we have a movie-night tonight, just you and me. I'm thinking a _Lord of the Rings_ marathon," Clare suggested. She wanted to have special alone time with Eli, feeling guilty that her mind had been consumed by KC lately.

"Did I hear _Lord of the Rings_? Dude, I'm in," Adam Torres cut in, coming up behind them.

"Alriiiight," Eli responded happily to Adam. The two fist-bumped.

"Uhhh, ok," Clare said quietly, disappointed that their alone time was just abolished. She smiled to hide her discontent.

The three parted ways to head towards their lockers. Clare opened hers and started switching books into and out of her bag.

"Can we talk?" a voice sheepishly asked behind her. Clare was surprised at the voice that she heard, expecting to hear Eli. She slowly turned around to see KC standing in front of her.

"Hey," Clare said, shocked that KC instigated a conversation with her. He had been so quick to escape from her yesterday, that she didn't think that he wanted to talk.

"I wanted to apologize for knocking you down yesterday. I've had a lot on my mind lately, and I guess I should watch where I'm going. Are you hurt?" KC asked. His hands were submerged in his sweatshirt pockets, and his eyes continually averted from Clare to the floor.

"It's ok KC, I'm fine," Clare answered, unsure of what to say. There was silence for a few seconds.

"So how have you been?" KC asked shyly, debating whether he deserved to ask her that.

"I've been good. Really good, actually," Clare responded assertively. She didn't want him to think that her world had collapsed completely when he broke up with her.

"That's great," KC relied, trying to sound enthusiastic.

"How about you?" Clare inquired, hoping to determine what he was having issues with.

"Well...I've been...stressed. But, I did move back in with my mom, "KC added, wanting to give Clare some good news.

"That's awesome, KC! When did she get out of jail?" Clare asked, relieved that he was finally our of the group home and living with a parent. He needed stability.

"A while. Several months, actually, but I moved in with her recently. She's clean now. For good," KC said, giving a quick smile. As their conversation prolonged, KC became less tense and he started feeling comfortable. Talking to Clare felt right.

"I'm so glad," Clare remarked, putting her hand on his arm to reassure him that she meant what she said.

"Jenna and I broke up," KC declared. He wanted Clare to know.

"Oh," was all Clare could say, her hands starting to get clammy. Of all the conversations they could be having, this was probably at the bottom of her list. Well, this explains his strange behavior, Clare deduced.

"And, I know you probably hate me – " KC started to say.

"No, KC. I don't hate you. I forgave you a while ago for what happened. I've moved on," Clare replied, looking straight into his eyes.

KC nodded his head.

"I really am sorry," he said, his voice quiet again. 'If I could undo what I did, I would."

"That's good to know," Clare said, giving KC a reassuring smile. Another long span of silence beheld them.

"Well, ok then," KC said, thus ending the conversation. He smiled goodbye and started walking away.

"Wait!" Clare yelled after him, unsure of what she was doing. The hallways started getting more crowded as the ringing of the morning bell grew closer. KC turned around, raising his eyebrows.

"Yeah?"

"...Do you wanna come over to my place tonight? Eli, Adam and I were gonna have a movie night. You could join us if you want," Clare offered. For some reason, Clare had an urge to spend time with KC. She wanted to catch up with him.

"Eli Goldsworthy? You hang out with him? Kinda dark, don't you think?" KC quipped. He suddenly remembered that it was Eli that Clare had been with when she was knocked down.

"Yeah. He's actually really cool once you get past the hearse and eyeliner," crossing her arms in defense. Clare paused. It was her turn for a confession. "- And we're sorta seeing each other." Clare waited to see KC's reaction. It took all of KC's strength to keep his jaw from hanging open.

"As in, you're in a relationship with him?" KC interrogated, his heart sinking. There's always someone between us. It it's not Jenna, it's that Goth guy, KC thought, feeling defeated. He began contemplating whether he wanted to go to movie night anymore.  
"...Yeah," Clare replied timidly. Now it was Clare who was avoiding eye contact. She jumped when she heard the morning bell blare obnoxiously. "So, I'll see you tonight?" Clare asked hopefully.

"Uhhh...I don't know...maybe." KC answered, his shoulders stiffening again. He started shifting his feet.

"Ok," Clare said indignantly. "Well, let me know," ending the conversation with a slight smile.

"Will do." KC walked away, heading to his chemistry class. The last thing he wanted was to be a third wheel, but he really wanted to be with Clare. To talk, of course, nothing more. We can't go there, KC reassured himself.

All that KC knew was that tonight would either end really well, or really badly.


	5. Hypothetical Scenarios

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Chapter 5: Hypothetical Scenarios

"You invited him over? What in the world would make you do that?" Alli Bandhari asked, clearly exasperated. Both her and Clare were walking to the cafeteria for lunch. Clare was starving, and didn't really feel like hearing Alli question her motives for inviting KC to movie night.

"I don't know. I kinda, acted without really thinking? Plus, it's not even definite that he's coming," Clare hesitated. She was now regretting inviting KC over.

"Well, why don't you just invite Jenna over too? If you want drama, you might as well go all the way," Alli said, handing Clare a lunch tray and then grabbing one for herself.

"Alli, I don't want drama," Clare shot back while grabbing a tuna salad. "I just want to spend a nice evening with my boyfriend and some friends. You're sure you can't come?" Clare pleaded, wanting the evening to be less awkward.

"You know I have plans with Drew. We need some alone time," Alli winked. When do they not have alone time, Clare thought, rolling her eyes. Alli handed the lunch lady cash and waited for her change. "And sure Clare, cause inviting your boyfriend and ex-boyfriend to a movie night will totally be drama free. I love this fantasy world you live in. Can I live there too?" she teased.

Clare and Ali found a table to settle at, seating themselves across from each other. "Alli, I guarantee you that tonight will go smoothly. OK?"

"Yeah, yeah. Well, how did Eli react when you told him?" Alli asked, unscrewing the lid to her Pepsi. Her eyebrows were furrowed in anticipation for the answer.

Clare was just about to open her mouth when Eli sat next to her, and brown paper bag in his hand.

"Tell me what?" he asked, eyes shining with curiosity as he pulled an apple out of the bag.

"Uhhhhh, tell you," Clare began, suddenly terror-stricken. Her mind was racing for ideas of what to say. Now was not the time to tell him about KC. "To tell you that I've actually never seen _The Lord of the Rings. _I know, it's tragic," Clare lied, putting on a shameful face to make her story more believable. Since when did she start lying to Eli? The idea of lying to him made her stomach churn.

"Wait, what? How is that possible? You deprived child," Eli chuckled, shaking his head in disapproval.

"Yup, that's me," Clare laughed nervously. "What a sad life I lead."

Eli smiled, and opened his lunch bag again. She studied his hands, finding his intricate rings and black fingernails to be such a turn-on. "Well, now that I'm in it," Eli added, "it looks like it took a turn for the better. You have much to learn, little hobbit" playfully nudging Clare with his arm.

"Oh, yes you do Clare," Alli teased with playful eyes. Clare glared at her, wanting to put duct tape over Alli's mouth.

Maybe it wasn't a good idea to tell Eli. What if, in telling Eli, he calls the whole evening off? Clare was running out of time to make a decision, given that the school day was almost over. How would Eli react if KC just showed up? That might ensue the drama that Alli was talking about, Clare thought, taking a bite of her tuna salad as Eli tried explaining the plot of _The Lord of the Rings_, a plot which Clare was already familiar with. She made sure to intersperse an appropriate head-nod and "Oh, ok, I get it" throughout his explanation.

What hurt Clare more than the fact that she had lied to him and was keeping KC a secret, was the fact that Eli believed her. He trusted her, and right now, she was taking advantage of that trust. She felt dirty and gross. Clare decided that her guilt was far stronger than her fear of his reaction.

"Eli."

"Clare." Eli put his arms on the lunch table and turned his head towards Clare, waiting for her to speak. She looked nervous, which concerned him.

"I have a hypothetical scenario for you." Clare thought it best to test the water before she dove in. "Let's say I invited KC to movie night. How would you react?"

Eli paused a moment. "You mean the sleazebag who took your heart, threw it on the ground, stomped on it, kicked it in the gutter –"

"Eli!" Alli interrupted, "She get's it."

"So it would be bad?" Clare reiterated. She started digging her fingernails into her arm to keep from freaking out.

"Um, just a little," Eli answered sarcastically. "This is a very random 'hypothetical scenario'," he added, making air quotes when he said hypothetical scenario. He made no effort to hide his suspicion.

Clare looked defeated. "Well – "

"Well, I wanted to know," Alli cut in, saving Clare. "Clare asked cause I was too nervous. Me and my nosiness." Clare let out a sigh and mouthed "thank you" to Alli when Eli wasn't looking.

"Huh," was all Eli could muster.

Well, Clare thought, there's no way I can tell him now. And, it would be rude to uninvited KC, especially since he seemed to be trying so hard to be decent. Looks like tonight is gonna be a hell of a night, Clare thought, sipping her water like she had something to hide. And Eli didn't even know it.


	6. Old Feelings

Chapter 6: Old Feelings

"Ok, am I the only one here who thinks that Frodo and Sam are totally into each other? I mean, come on!" Adam exclaimed, lifting his hands towards the television screen as if exhibiting proof.

"Would you stop?" Eli shot back playfully, throwing popcorn at Adam. "Why must you question their sexuality? They have more important things to do than each other." Eli couldn't help but smirk.

"Oh, wow guys, real mature," Clare said, rolling her eyes. The three of them were sprawled on the floor, popcorn scattered all over the floor. Eli had his arm around Clare as she nuzzled into his chest, barely paying attention to the movie. She was too concentrated on listening to his heartbeat. The contraption that gave this boy life. The contraption that loved her back.

"And, I gotta say. Elijah Wood is the man," Eli added, tossing popcorn into his mouth.

Adam scoffed. "You're just saying that cause you two have the same name."

"Do you want the entire bowl of popcorn dumped on you?" Eli threatened, raising his eyebrows.

"Why don't I just, refill that. Keep you from doing something compunctious," Clare cut in, unwrapping herself from Eli and grabbing the bowl from him. "Be back soon," she winked.

"Don't take too long," Eli said, pouting teasingly. Adam proceeded to make gagging sounds. "For Adam's sake," Eli added. "You know how he suffers from prolonged popcorn withdrawal."

Clare was laughing to herself as she entered the kitchen, pulling another bag of popcorn out of the cupboard. She placed the bag in the microwave and waited for the popcorn to stop popping. In the midst of all the popping, Clare could have sworn she heard a knock on the door, but thought she was hearing things. The microwave finally beeped, and she carefully pulled the steaming hot bag out and poured its contents into the bowl. What she came upon in the living room made her nearly drop the bowl. Eli was standing in front of the opened door, fists tightened. KC stood there awkwardly, until he saw Clare through the doorway.

"Hey, Clare," he stammered, looking around Eli.

"Hey, KC," Clare said, before Eli had time to open his mouth. "I'm glad you came. Why don't you come in!" she offered, motioning towards the living room. KC nodded and entered the house, of which he was quite familiar with. He missed this place. Clare and KC would often hang out here to do homework or have movie nights. And now she was doing it with another guy, KC thought as he plopped down on the couch.

Eli didn't budge from where he was standing. His stance would make someone assume that there was a plank nailed to his back. He glared at KC, and then shifted his confused and angry eyes towards Clare.

"Uh, Clare. Can we talk in the kitchen?" Eli asked, trying to maintain his composure.

"Sure," Clare murmured, terrified to make eye contact with him. She turned around and headed to the kitchen, not waiting for Eli to catch up with her.

"So much for hypothetical," Eli shot, not even halfway through the door. "What is that jerk doing here?" he asked, eyes scanning Clare's for an answer.

All Clare could do was leave her mouth gaping open. Why was he here? Clare didn't even know the answer to that question.

"I…..well, I uh….," Clare took a deep breath. She couldn't panic. If she did, Eli would be suspicious of something that wasn't true. "I invited him to join us."

"Well, clearly," Eli said, hands shoved in his pocket. "Now that we're done stating the obvious, _why _did you invite him"?

Clare's shoulders fell. "Well, I don't know. After he knocked me down, I noticed that something was wrong with him. And then we just…got to talking, and I invited him over. And now, he's here." A bit of courage shot through Clare, enticing her to look straight into Eli's beautiful eyes.

"I just don't understand how you could be nice to that dirt bag," Eli said, his hand on his forehead.

"Please, don't call him that Eli. I've forgiven him. So should you. I mean, we didn't even know each other when it happened, so why are you angry?" Clare asked, her face hot with anger.

We didn't even know each other? What does that have to do with anything?" he spat. "That doesn't make his actions less unacceptable."

"Look," Clare tried to reason. "I don't want drama." Suddenly, Alli's warnings popped into her head. "I just wanted to be a good person. He needs someone to support him right now. I don't know why, but I know that he does. And I have forgiven him. End of story. Please, understand," Clare pleaded, placing her hands on Eli's crossed arms.

Eli slowly nodded his head in surrender. "Fine," he said tersely.

"Thank you," Clare said meekly, planting a kiss on his cheek. As she placed her hand on his jaw, it felt stiff, and if he was clenching his teeth. "You ok?" she asked, snaking her arms around his waist.

An apathetic expression was plastered on Eli's face. "Yeah, I guess."

"It's just a movie. And after that, he's gone," Clare assured him.

"Ok," Eli breathed. He leaned down, giving her an apologetic kiss. It felt a little desperate to Clare, as if he was trying to hold on to her heart, afraid that Clare would change her mind about him. She smiled up at him, as if to tell him that there was nothing to worry about.

The two walked into the living room, and the sight of KC caused her to catch her breath. What is happening, Clare panicked. I should have absolutely no difficulty breathing when around KC, she told herself.

"So…" Clare said, sitting on the couch between KC and Eli. "You've seen this movie?" she asked KC.

Well, yeah. It's probably one of the greatest films ever. Although, _Star Wars_ totally beats it. Remember when we watched all six movies on one night?" KC asked, laughing at the flashback.

"Yeah," Clare answered, remembering the night clearly. "We were probably up until 2 am," she chuckled. She felt Eli tense up next to her.

Reminiscing about the past that she shared with KC made Clare feel unsure of herself. Were her feelings for KC completely diminished? They never had closure, so maybe she didn't let go of him completely. Now that KC was back in Clare's life, she grew confused. Suddenly, it felt odd when Eli put his arm around her in front of KC. What was happening to her?

**How do you like it so far? Am I taking the story in the right direction, or do you guys think that Clare and KC's feelings are coming back too quickly? Comment please =)**


	7. One Kiss Too Many

Chapter 7: One Kiss Too Many

"Ok, well, I gotta get home, guys. This was fun," Adam said as the credits of _Return of the King _appeared on the screen. He got up from the couch, brushed popcorn off of his lap, and fist-bumped Eli goodbye. "See you guys on Monday." Adam smiled at Clare and glared at KC as he walked out.

"Bye, man," Eli called, his stomach dropping at the thought of being alone with Clare and KC.

"Thanks for coming," Clare said sweetly, waving goodbye.

Once Adam was gone, quiet consumed the room. Clare, Eli and KC were each sitting on the couch, nobody daring to say a word. Could this be more awkward, Clare thought. Eli made a grunting noise while leaning forward to get a look at KC, as if bidding KC to leave.

"Well, it's getting late. I should probably get going too," KC announced, relief flooding through both Clare and Eli.

Clare and KC both got up. Eli didn't even bother to say goodbye. He simply glared at KC, making it clear that he had never been welcome tonight.

"Well, it was great that you came," Clare smiled, her fingers playing with the strings of her hoodie.

"Yeah, I'm glad I did. It was great catching up with you." KC leaned forward and gave Clare a hug goodbye. As he was hugging her, he looked straight at Eli, smirking. Eli was clenching is fists so hard, his knuckles turned white.

The embrace was finally over, and KC left, leaving Clare to close the front door.

KC walked down the front porch, not quite satisfied with the time he spent with Clare. He wanted more, but Eli was still inside with her. As KC was walking away from Clare's house, an idea emerged into his head. He quickly turned around, and went to the side of her house. He decided to wait there until Eli finally left.

"Well, that was nice and awkward," Clare breathed out, relieved that she was finally alone with her boyfriend.

"It took them forever to leave," Eli said seductively, wrapping his arms around Clare. Clare's heart started beating uncontrollably. Finally, the right response for the right person, Clare thought, relieved.

"I thought we'd never be alone," she whispered, goose bumps rising on her skin as she felt Eli's breath on her neck.

"Free at last, free at last," he said, placing his mouth on her jaw. His lips traveled across her jaw and down her neck. Clare's brain was in overdrive, wanting him, all of him, in a way she never felt before.

In what felt like forever, his lips finally reached her mouth. Eli led her slowly to the couch, moving his lips with hers. He finally stopped to catch his breath, looking into Clare's deep blue eyes.

Clare traced her thumbs on Eli's cheeks, bidding him to kiss her more. They were finally on the couch, Eli trapping Clare in the corner, kissing her like he never had before. His lips felt strong, and his hands were on Clare's legs, slowly moving their way up. They were now vertical on the couch, Clare's fingers running through Eli's dark hair.

His kissing eventually slowed down, and he rested his head on Clare's forehead.

"We should stop," he whispered.

"No," Clare objected, leaning in to kiss him again.

Eli turned away. "If we don't stop, we're gonna do something that you'll regret," he said, fingering her promise ring.

"Oh…right," Clare agreed, feeling defeated. She had completely forgotten about the promise that she had made to herself.

Eli checked his watch. "I should go, it's pretty late," he said as he shifted his way off of Clare. Clare sat up, disappointed that the moment was over.

"Ok, fine. If you must leave me here. At home. Alone. Extremely vulnerable," Clare teased.

"And I'm sure you'll be fine," Eli said, kissing her ever so softly. "Breakfast at the Dot tomorrow?" he asked.

"Sure," Clare answered, flashing a smile. She leaned in to kiss him one last time.

A few seconds past and Eli pulled away, his hands cupping her face. "I love you," he whispered. His eyes searched hers, waiting for a response. Love? He loves me, Clare thought. Clare felt her heart ready to burst. Eli had taken the next step in their relationship, and she was ready to join him.

"I love you, too," Clare answered, her arms wrapped around his neck. This moment was absolutely perfect. Nothing could ruin what they had. They loved each other, and Eli was the guy for her. His dark demeanor, his smart remarks, his kind heart, all qualities that Clare was in love with.

Not saying another word, Eli pulled away, smiled his signature crooked smile, and walked out the front door.

Clare closed the door behind him, overjoyed to the point that her hands were shaking. She needed to let out her excitement somehow. She grabbed her phone to call Alli, not caring that it was midnight, when the doorbell rang. Clare's insides began to tingle, thinking it was Eli coming back for another kiss. She frantically opened the door, but curiously enough, found KC there.

Clare's first presumption was that KC had left something behind. "Hey! Did you forget something, or…..something?" Clare asked, realizing how stupid her sentence just sounded. Why was she jumbling her words?

"Or something," KC said, inviting himself into the house. Clare moved aside, nervous that they were alone in her house this late at night. Part of her wanted her parents to come home from their church convention so that KC would leave, but she knew they wouldn't be home until one in the morning.

"Is there something you need?" Clare asked, shifting from foot to foot, standing awkwardly in the foyer.

"Just to talk," KC answered, sitting down on the couch. "I just, feel like I rushed out, and the whole point of me coming tonight was to hang out with _you_. Not Adam or Eli." Clare didn't like the way KC said Eli's name. He said it as if the name was diseased.

"Oh, ok. Well, what did you want to talk about?" Clare wondered if he was ready to open up about what was seemingly bothering him.

"Anything," he answered, looking into her eyes, a little too long.

"Ok…" Clare's mind was racing trying to think of something to talk about. She sat on the couch next to him. "How is it living with your mom now? Is it weird?"

"A little. It took a lot of getting used to," KC answered, this time his eyes never leaving her face, unlike last time where they wouldn't go anywhere near her. "But she's really, truly clean. I'm proud of her. I really put up a fight against moving in with her though," KC added, his face filling with shame.

"It must've been hard to trust her," Clare tried to comfort. "You shouldn't feel bad for resisting. You probably thought she would just snap back to her old ways."

"That's exactly how I felt," KC replied, his eyes looking longingly at her. "You're the only one who understands me. Jenna never understood what I was going through."

"What happened with Jenna?" Clare asked, curiosity getting the best of her.

KC tensed up, regretting that he brought up Jenna. This was a topic he wanted to avoid tonight. "I don't really feel like talking about it," KC answered, sadness taking over.

"You do know that you can tell me anything, KC," Clare said, putting her hand over his for comfort.

"I know," he answered softly. All was quiet for a while. "Do you remember our first kiss?" KC asked abruptly.

What an odd change of subject, Clare thought. She felt uncomfortable with the question. "Yeah," she answered timidly. "It was at the Black and White Dance."

"Uh-huh," KC smiled. "And Connor had locked us in a broom closet cause we weren't speaking to each other," he laughed. Clare had always loved KC's laugh. It was so full of joy and strength. When he laughed, he meant it. He had never been one of those guys who would pretend to find a girl funny just so that he could get in bed with her. He meant what he felt. For the most part, at least.

Clare couldn't help but chuckle. "How could I forget? You were mad cause you thought I would judge you about your past," Clare said.

"But, now I know you could never judge anyone," KC added, looking into space, his mind entranced by thoughts of their old relationship.

KC then looked at Clare, a pang of sadness filling him at the thought that he had lost her. At that moment, when he looked at Clare, he knew he wanted her back. Clare was the one for him. As if out of nowhere, something came over KC that he couldn't quite explain. One moment, they were sitting on the couch talking, and the next moment, he was kissing her. For a couple of seconds, Clare kissed him back. His familiar lips brought on nostalgia to Clare, but then an image of Eli popped into her head, and she pulled away.

"What are you doing?" she asked hysterically, quickly getting up from the couch.

"Clare, I…" KC was at a loss for words. Am I insane, he asked himself, trying to think of something to say to a frantic Clare.

"You know what? I don't even want to know." Clare walked to the foyer and opened the front door. " I think it's time for you to leave," she said tersely, her lips tight.

Without saying a word, KC walked out of the house, leaving Clare to bask in her anger. Clare slammed the door shut and just stood there. If she had been confused about her feelings before, words couldn't describe how confused she was now.

Guilt consumed Clare to the brink. Had she pulled away as soon as he kissed her, she wouldn't have been in the wrong. But she kissed him back. Clare's body suddenly became weak. She had cheated on Eli.

But I'm not the kind of girl who cheats on her boyfriend, Clare thought, barely able to get herself up to her bedroom. Not only had she kissed him back, but it took all the strength she had to pull away. She had felt something, which she knew wasn't good.

Clare knew her next steps were to figure out what those feelings were, and whether or not she was going to tell Eli. Her throat caught at the thought of the latter step. How did something go from being so perfect, to so complicated?


	8. Closure

Chapter 8: Closure

"Wait, wait, wait. You, _kissed_ him? Clare, what were you thinking?" Alli exclaimed as she and Clare sat on the front steps of Degrassi.

"Allie, pronouns! _He_ kissed_ me. _There's an exponential difference," Clare reassured, trying to make the situation sound less dire. "Please, don't make me feel worse then I already do," she pleaded.

Alli tried to quiet herself by drinking her coffee, but couldn't resist. "Did you tell Eli?" she asked.

"Oh, yes Alli. I told him that I cheated on him with my ex-boyfriend seconds after we declared our love for each other. That would have blown over well," Clare answered sarcastically. She threw away her coffee, the smell making her sick to her stomach.

"Oh, right," Alli said, looking down at the ground. In a matter of seconds, her eyes widened, as if having an epiphany. "Wait, declared your _what? _He said he loves you?" she asked, clapping her hands in excitement. Clare grabbed Alli's hands to stop the celebration.

"Yeah, but I can't exactly enjoy it now that KC and I kissed. Everything's ruined," Clare complained, resting her head in her hands. Clare's eyes began to tear up. "How can things go back to the way they were before? Before I messed up?" she choked, trying to prevent a flood of tears.

Alli put her arm around Clare, squeezing tight. "Everything will be alright, Clare. Eli loves you, and you love Eli. That's the way it's supposed to be. You just made a minor emotional detour," she assured. Alli's heart sank knowing that Clare was going through so much crap. Clare didn't deserve this. She was such a good person.

"I hope you're right, Alli," Clare sniffed, stuggling to breathe evenly.

"I'm always right," Alli teased, trying to pry a smile out of Clare.

Clare wiped her eyes and stood up, straightening her shirt. "Well, for the sake of my relationship, I have to tell Eli. Everything," Clare declared, not quite sure how she was going to execute this plan.

"What? Now? Are you sure? Maybe you should think this out," Alli said, grabbing Clare's arm before she made a huge mistake.

"Alli, I can't start this relationship off with lies. I'm not that kind of person. If I don't tell him now, it's just going to eat away at me. The longer I wait, the more it's going to hurt Eli. And I can't do that," Clare said, pulling away from Alli. She hung her bag over her shoulder. "Whatever it takes."

Clare walked up the stairs in pursuit of Eli. She hadn't seen him since the movie night. Although they had made plans to have breakfast the next day, Clare canceled, scared to even look at Eli after what she had done.

Upon entering the school, she scanned the halls, unable to locate Eli in the large throngs of students. She walked towards his locker, sweat beads forming on her forehead, dreading what she as going to say to Eli. What if he breaks up with me, Clare panicked, heart racing. Her legs felt stiff, as if they were telling her to stop. But she couldn't. I have to tell the truth, she thought.

As she was fighting her way through the crowded halls, the last person she ever wanted to see came up to her.

"Clare," KC summoned, grabbing her arm. "I have to talk to you." He looked desperate.

"KC, we've done enough talking," she said angrily, pulling her arm from his grasp. "Leave me alone," she yelled, stalking off.

KC was too stubborn to listen to her. He ran in front of her, stopping her in her path. "I can't do that, Clare." He grabbed her by the arm and led her into an empty classroom, in spite of her objections. Once in the room, KC blocked the door with his body, allowing no way for Clare to escape. "I didn't want to do this Clare, but I feel like this is the only way you're going to hear me out. Please, don't fight me," KC begged, firmly grasping Clare's shoulders.

Clare gave it all she had, struggling to escape his grasp, but she couldn't. "Why can't you leave me alone, KC?"

"Because!" he yelled, his voice breaking. He took a deep breath to keep from losing his temper. "Because, I love you," he said softly. "Why can't you see that we belong together? You and me. Not you and that goth guy."

"He has a name," Clare said through gritted teeth.

"Whatever," KC said. "Clare, it's you, it's always been you!" he declared over her objections.

"I don't believe that, KC! I don't believe that you love me. You can't love me, and do what you did to me," Clare said, tears forming in her eyes. "People just don't do that to the people that they love." This time she didn't try to keep the tears from falling.

"But I've changed," KC objected. "I'm a different person," he whispered, barely able to talk.

"That's what they all say," Clare answered, looking at him with cold eyes. KC had never seen this side of Clare. It broke his heart that he caused her to hate him so much.

"That's what my mother said. And I believed her. I gave her my trust, after all the crap she had put me through. I gave her a second chance. If I can give my mother a second chance, you can give me one," KC lectured, finally letting go of Clare.

Clare didn't know how to respond to what KC just said. He's right, she thought. God teaches us to forgive those who've wronged us. Why shouldn't I?

"I told myself, over and over again, that I had forgiven you. But I was lying to myself. I hadn't. We never had closure. You had abandoned me, and it hurt, KC. It really hurt. But now, I forgive you. I've let go, because I realized that we can never go back to the way we were. This is out closure," Clare cried, shoulders heaving. After a few seconds, upon grasping composure, Clare had one final question for KC. "What are you running from?" she asked, barely whispering.

This was the question that caused KC to completely lose himself. All the barriers were down, and he couldn't hide from Clare. This was the moment of truth. Before he could answer, KC began to cry, his face convoluted. He ran his hands through his hair trying to calm himself down before he answered her, looking at his feet. Clare waited with patience, knowing this was hard for him.

"Jenna's pregnant." He looked up at Clare in desperation, praying that she wouldn't turn her back on him.

Clare stood there, unable to move. Her entire world was still, trying to grasp the information that just left KC's mouth. Jenna was pregnant with his child? All of a sudden, everything made sense. The break up, his odd behavior, his sudden need for Clare. He needed her love to comfort him.

"Oh, KC," Clare said, not knowing what to do. She then walked up to him and embraced him with as much strength as she could, not daring to let go. She didn't know how long they were standing in that classroom, but she just let him cry on her shoulder, letting his pain out. Clare stroked KC's head, attempting to calm him down, whispering words of consolation in his ear.

KC finally stopped crying and Clare wiped his tears away. She gave him a tissue to blow his nose, and waited for him to speak. They were seated on the floor, his head on her shoulders.

"I don't know what to do, Clare," he whispered. He sounded so helpless, it shattered Clare's heart.

"I think you do," Clare answered, looking him straight in the eyes. He looked at her in confusion, but after a few seconds, he understood what she meant. "You can't leave Jenna alone. She needs you. She's your responsibility now, KC."

KC just sat there, taking in Clare's advice, knowing in all honesty that she was right. He slowly nodded his head in agreement, too weak to say much.

"I understand," he answered. "You're right. I know that's the right thing to do. I just…freaked. My world is so delicate right now, and a baby would just mess it up."

"Maybe not. This is how God wanted it to be, KC. Jenna wasn't the only one who messed up here. You both made that baby, so you both have to take care of it. "

KC took a deep, shaky breath. "Thanks, Clare. I don't know what I'd do without you," KC said, a miniscule smile on his tear stricken face.

This was the closure that Clare needed. She had finally let KC go. For a long time, she had been locked up in a cage of denial, telling herself that she had let go of KC. In consoling him and telling him that he had an obligation to Jenna, Clare had found the key. She was free. Free to be with Eli without any barriers.

"No problem," Clare smiled, helping KC up.

With one last hug, the two exited the classroom, ready to go their separate ways. KC walked off, feeling worlds better, ready to do what he had to do, which was take care of Jenna and his future child, although he still needed time to cope. HE would go to her, but not right now. He still needed more time, but Jenna would not go through this alone.

Clare, now alone, felt a bit shaken from what had just happened, but also felt like a huge weight had been lifted off of her shoulders. She knew whom she belonged with. It was Eli. Now, she had to tell him the truth. She had to tell him everything that had happened these past few days, for the sake of their relationship. A relationship was built off of trust, and Clare wanted hers to be strong. It may sting to tell him, but in the long run, it would be worth it.

She finally spotted Eli, who upon seeing her waved. He began walking towards her, a huge smile on his face. He looked so perfect with his black blazer and grey jeans. Clare took a deep breath. The moment of truth was upon them.

**Soooo, how do you guys like it? Am I keeping you on your toes? Comment, please =) **


	9. Skull Charm

Chapter 9: Skull Charm

Eli grabbed his history book out of his locker, trying to repeat in his head the battles of World War One. He had studied for the test over the weekend, but had been distracted by Clare. His heart had practically been leaping for days after she told him that she loves him.

Eli finally felt like he was in a good place since Julia. Ever since Julia's death, his world had been in shambles. He had vowed to never love again, but then he found Clare. Yes, his world was so consumed in darkness from his pain that he tried to shut her out, but nonetheless, her love penetrated through all that. He fell so hard for Clare, that he was finally able to let go of Julia. Eli had forgiven himself for Julia's death.

Before closing his locker door, he pulled a jewelry case from the top shelf. He was planning on giving Clare the bracelet when he saw her that morning. It was a charm bracelet, dawning a skull charm. Eli knew that the skull wasn't exactly Clare's style, but he also knew it would remind her of him, therefore she'd love it. He slipped the box in his pocket, and turned around, spotting Clare in the crowd. For some reason, she looked distressed, but Eli assumed it had to do with something school related. Didn't she tell him she had a math test today? That must be it, Eli thought.

Eli took a deep breath upon seeing her, nervous that things might be a bit weird post-love declaration. He made it a point to wave in her direction and smile lovingly as he walked towards her to ensure that there was no weirdness on his side of the spectrum.

"Hey," he said to Clare, giving her his half smile and a kiss. Her lips felt hard. They weren't as warm and welcoming as usual. "You feeling better?" he asked, starting to grow concerned with her behavior.

"What? Oh…yeah, much," Clare answered. She seemed to be avoiding eye contact with him.

The two stood awkwardly, which was not how they normally behaved with each other. "So, I got this killer history test first period," Eli mentioned, trying to get Clare's attention. "But I didn't really study that much cause I couldn't stop thinking about you," he said, putting his arm around her as they walked, noticing that she was shaking.

"I'm sure you'll ace it," Clare replied quietly. Well that wasn't the answer I was expecting, Eli thought. He was hoping for something a little more admiring, given he just told her she's all he thinks about.

"Thanks…" Eli responded. "Is there something the matter?" he asked, wanting an answer for her terse behavior.

Clare stopped in her tracks, taking his arm off of her shoulders. She started breathing quickly, looking like she was about to puke. "Eli, there's something I need to tell you," she said, wringing her wrists.

He looked at her inquisitively. "Come here," Eli said, motioning towards the gym where he knew they'd be alone. The Spirit Squad didn't meet until after school, so he didn't have to worry about their privacy.

Their footsteps echoed as they walked towards the bleachers. They both sat down, and Eli put his hand on Clare's leg. "What's going on?"

"Ok, please don't overreact by what I'm about to say," Clare warned, her forehead crinkled with worry. Eli didn't exactly know how to respond to that comment. She took a deep breath before speaking. "The other night, the movie night, that is, after you left…" Clare stopped, too petrified to go on.

"Yeah?" Eli asked, bidding her to continue.

"KC came back over. I didn't invite him, he just came. He wanted to talk, and we….we….kissed.," Clare confessed in one breath. She looked at Eli, hungry for a reaction. He immediately removed his hand from Clare's leg.

The moment the words fell from Clare's mouth, Eli's stomach dropped. They kissed, Eli thought, his blood boiling over. He clenched his fists as he grew hot with anger, wanting to beat the living hell out of KC. Without saying a word, Eli got up and headed towards the door.

"Eli, wait!" Clare cried out, trying to stop him. She grabbed his arm, but he jerked it away in a cold manner. "Eli, it meant nothing! _He _kissed _me_. I didn't instigate the kiss!" she tried to reason.

Eli turned around abruptly, his face red. "Then tell me you didn't feel anything," he quipped. "Tell me you pulled away as soon as his mouth touched yours." His eyes were daring her to say otherwise.

Clare froze at his order, tears forming in her eyes. "I…" was all she could muster. What could she say?

"Well, that's all I needed to hear," Eli shot, turning around again.

Clare ran after him in tears, "Wait! Eli, please! Let me explain!" she begged, but he wouldn't listen. Clare was scared to death of what Eli would do. She knew what he was capable of, given his past encounters with Fitz, and she didn't want KC to get hurt. Clare felt stupid for not telling Eli everything. Why didn't I tell him about this morning? I should have told him what we talked about, she thought, wanting to kick herself. Frankly, she had been too scared of his reaction to go on, plus Eli didn't exactly give her a chance to explain given that he stalked off.

Eli pushed his way through the crowded hallway, in pursuit of KC, knowing that Clare was trailing in protest behind him. I knew that dirtbag was gonna ruin things for me, Eli thought, feeling like an animal on the prowl. He felt so hurt and betrayed right now, he was shaking. How could Clare do this to me, he thought as he scanned the hallway. Clare of all people. She was the last person Eli thought would ever hurt him. He had trusted her, and she failed him. And right after I told her I loved her, he thought, trying not to cry. Eli couldn't trust love anymore. It always ended up hurting him, be it death or someone being unfaithful. Eli drowned out Clare's voice yelling his name, willing him to listen to her. I'm done listening, he thought, too sick to his stomach to hear anything else about her conflicted feelings.

Eli's radar went off when he spotted KC, talking to Dave, another sophomore.

"Hey!" Eli yelled, his eyes filled with anger. He walked up to KC, giving him a forceful shove against a locker. "It's not enough that you barge into Clare's life after screwing her over, but you have to steal her from me?" he screamed, shoving KC again. Clare ran up to them, trying to pull him away from KC, but Eli pushed her away. A crowd began to form around them.

"Look, man, let me explain," KC pleaded, trying to push Eli away from him.

"There's nothing to explain!" Eli interrupted, his face red with anger. "Give me one good reason why I shouldn't kick your ass right now," Eli shot, punching the locker right next to KC's face.

Eli's behavior reminded Clare of Fitz, making her sick to her stomach.

KC, letting all common sense go, answered, "Well, maybe if you were more of a man, emo-boy, she wouldn't so willingly cheat on you!" now towering over Eli. Clare's stomach dropped, vexed at KC for not taking the higher road, and for implying that they had had a full-on love affair, which wasn't the case.

With that, Eli swung his fist at KC, hitting him square in the jaw, causing KC to land on the floor. KC then got up, grabbing Eli by the shoulders and shoving him against the wall. "Want me to put you in the back of that hearse of yours?" KC threatened, breathing heavily, his jaw bright red.

"I'd love to see you try," Eli quipped, trying to get out of KC's strong grip. Clare stood there helplessly, knowing there was nothing she could do to stop them from fighting. KC then punched Eli in the stomach, who bent over in pain, causing Clare to cry out.

The two continued to throw punches and shoves, until a strong, authoritative voice consumed the hallway.

"Hey!" Coach Armstrong yelled, grabbing both Eli and KC by the shirts, separating them from each other. "Knock it off!" He looked at both of them sternly, letting them know that he meant business. "I want the both of you to go straight to Principal Simpson's office. NOW. He'll know what to do with you," he ordered, shaking his head in disappointment.

Everybody around this little show was frozen with terror, until Armstrong ordered them all to disperse.

Clare ran up to Eli, but he didn't even look at her as he walked towards Simpson's office, obviously in pain, both physically and emotionally.

The morning bell finally rang, causing students to filter into classrooms. Clare didn't budge, but only watched in defeat as the guy she loved to no end, whom she hurt so much, walked away from her. Tears ran down Clare's face, thinking that things between her and Eli would never be the same. How was Clare to fix this?

As she stood there, she noticed a small black box on the ground. Curious, she picked it up, lifting its velvety lid. Inside was a small piece of lined paper that read "For the love of my life – Eli". Underneath the paper was a beautiful silver charm bracelet, and attached to it was a skull charm. Looking at the note and bracelet, Clare's heart broke in two, and she began to contort her face, knowing more tears were coming. Eli was going to give this to me, she thought, and I broke his heart. Clare felt like she was ready to faint, and had to rest against a locker. She tightened her grip on the bracelet, wanting more than anything for things with Eli to go back to normal. Did she lose Eli forever?

**Do you guys think that Eli's reaction was realistic? Or would he have listened to what Clare had to say. I wasn't sure, but I decided to go with this. What do you guys think? Comments really help! =D **


	10. When You're Ready

Chapter 10: When You're Ready

Clare walked up Eli's steps after school, her feet as heavy as bricks. Clare hadn't seen Eli at school at all since the fight, so she assumed that Principal Simpson had sent him home. She knew that she needed to fix what she had broken. Clare couldn't live with herself knowing that she hurt Eli. He didn't deserve to be hurt, especially when Clare's actions were the cause.

Slowly, Clare lifted her arm and knocked on the door. She waited a few seconds, but there was no answer. She looked at the driveway, and there was Morty. She touched the hood, noticing that it was cold, giving away that Eli had been here a while. So he's not even gonna answer the door. Wonderful, Clare thought, scoffing. She knew she was in the wrong, but he had to be descent enough to let her explain.

"I know you're home, Eli!" Clare yelled at the house. "It's kinda hard hiding when your car is in the driveway!" Clare waited a couple minutes, and came to the conclusion that he wasn't going to answer the door. She called his cell phone a few times, but still no answer. "Fine, I'll just wait!" she yelled, planting herself on his front porch. He had to come out eventually.

A half hour later, Clare heard Eli's front door click open, and she quickly spun around.

"You're not going away, are you?" Eli asked, a frown plastered on his pale face. His eyes were red. Had he been crying, Clare wondered, wanting so badly to just hold him. She noticed a bruise on Eli's cheekbone, obviously from the fight.

Clare stood her ground, unyielding. "Nope. Not until you hear me out Eli." Clare took a step toward him, but he took one step back. "This isn't like you. The Eli I know would give me a chance to explain." She crossed her arms.

"And the Clare I know wouldn't cheat," Eli retorted, starting to close the door. Clare jumped forward, shoving the door open with all her strength. She forced her way through the door, closing it behind her. This tactic worked for KC, Clare might as well try it.

"Would you stop being such a hard-ass?" Clare asked, shocking Eli. He wasn't used to Clare talking in this manner. "What happened with Simpson?"

"Gave me a two day suspension. Zero tolerance, remember?" Eli answered, his hands in his blazer's pockets, staring Clare down.

"Well, fighting is never the answer, Eli. Sorry you had to learn the hard way."

"Yeah, and you don't have to worry about your precious KC. I fessed up that I started the fight, so he wasn't suspended. Just got a few detentions. The justice system fails yet again," he scoffed, looking down at his scuffed up shoes.

Clare rolled her eyes. "You know, I'm sick of this. I have absolutely no feelings for KC!" she exclaimed, lifting her arms in exasperation. "Come on," she said, walking towards the couch in his living room. She looked up at him, her eyes asking him to sit down next to her. Eli simply leaned against the banister.

"Talk," was all Eli said.

This is my chance, Clare thought. My chance to make things right, so don't mess up. "KC was my first boyfriend, which is special. When he left me for Jenna, it hurt. A lot." Tears began to form in Clare's eyes again, but not because of KC. They were tears of desperation to get Eli back. "When you get dumped, you don't really get closure. And, I thought I was fine. I lied to myself that I didn't want him back, but you don't stop loving someone just because they ask you to." Upon hearing this Eli breathed loudly, shaking his head in protest.

Before he could throw a counter-argument at her, Clare continued, her voice softened. "But then, you came into my life, and I knew that I could have a fresh start." Clare thought back to when they first met, and Eli had accidentally run over her glasses. "You saved me, Eli," Clare confessed, looking intently at him. She knew she'd lose if she didn't show that she had control.

When she said that, Eli looked up, his eyes growing softer.

Clare stood up and walked towards Eli. "When KC kissed me, it hit a nerve. It crossed some wires, and my old feelings came back, but that was only cause I never had closure. We talked this morning, and we worked things out. He only thought he wanted me back, but he really needed me for comfort. He's going through a really tough time. I want you to know, that I am truly, deeply sorry for hurting you. You're the last person that I would ever want to hurt, Eli, and I'm begging you to forgive me." Clare paused. "You showed me that there is love after love. And I taught you that too." Clare grabbed Eli's hand, squeezing it tight. Eli gave her a small smile, and then he looked down at his hand. In it was the jewelry case. He thought he had lost it during the fight. He looked at Clare, confused.

"Where did you get this?" he asked, opening the lid. There was the bracelet.

"I found it in the hallway. It's beautiful," she commented, searching his face for an emotion. He simply stared at the bracelet, his eyebrows furrowed as if he was thinking. "You can give it to me when you're ready," Clare chided, kissing Eli on the cheek and heading for the door. As she walked out the door, she waited for Eli to say something, but nothing left his mouth. He simply stared at the bracelet, and then watched Clare leave. He needed time to mull things over.

Clare closed the door behind her, and walked towards her bike. There, she had done it. She confessed everything. Now, the rest was up to Eli. If he wanted to give her a second chance, she would take him in with open arms. If he didn't, she wasn't going to force anything upon him. Clare prayed that Eli would come back to her. She needed him, more than he could know.


	11. Nothing Could Keep Us Apart

Chapter 11: Nothing Could Keep Us Apart

Clare walked into Mrs. Dawes' English class the next day, her eyes bloodshot from a lack of sleep. She had been up all night worrying about Eli, wondering if he would take her back. She hadn't been concentrating in any of her classes that day either, continuously zoning out.

What really caused Clare to fret was the fact that she hadn't seen Eli in school at all today. He really has been missing a lot of school, Clare thought to herself. Great, now he's going to blame me for his low marks, too. Wonderful, Clare dreaded, wanting this horrible nightmare to end. And now, upon walking into English class, Eli was not in his usual seat. Clare wasn't surprised at all, but that didn't stop the slight disappointment that she felt.

She walked down the row of desks, finally reaching her own. She envied the students surrounding her who were laughing with their friends, looking as if they didn't have a care in the world, while her world was falling apart. She haphazardly placed her bag on the back of her chair and was about to sit down, when she saw the black velvet box placed in the center of the wooden chair. Suddenly, excitement rushed through Clare, knowing who had placed that box there. She quickly snatched it up and practically tore the lid off, but curiously enough, the bracelet wasn't there. What was in the bracelet's place was a small piece of paper that had scrawled on it "Meet me at our skipping spot". Clare's heart started racing. She remembered the skipping spot perfectly. It was where they went the first time they skipped English class together. It was the spot where she first started to know who Eli Goldsworthy really was, underneath the gloom and doom.

Clare didn't have much time to spare before the bell rang, so she grabbed her bag and ran for it. She wanted to get there as fast as she could, having such a strong desire to find out what Eli had in store for her. He would finally give her his final verdict. She practically ran the whole way there, feeling like a convict. Although she's done it before, skipping class didn't feel right, but for Eli, she'd do anything.

She finally spotted Morty, prompting Clare to stop running. She gave herself a few seconds to catch her breath and gain composure before crossing the street towards the bench. She walked slowly, suddenly worried that Eli would tell her that he couldn't forgive her and that she might as well move on. That would probably be the worst thing he could tell her.

Her heart flipped when she saw Eli sitting on the bench staring off into space, earbuds in his ears. He saw Clare approaching him and he immediately pulled the buds out and stood up, giving her a small smile. Clare walked up to him, looking at Eli with hopeful eyes.

"Hey," Eli said, his voice steady.

"Hey," Clare replied quietly, kicking a pebble around with her foot.

"Coffee?" he asked, holding up a cup of coffee from The Dot.

Clare smiled and took the cup, her finger brushing his and she grabbed it. "Thanks."

Eli sat down. "I think it's my turn to make an apology. I think I maybe, overreacted to everything. I should have let you explain, but instead, I let my temper get the best of me. I'm sorry," he confessed, looking at Clare in an apologetic manner. Clare let out the breath that she didn't even know she was holding.

"Eli, you had every right to be mad at me. I was selfish, and my brain wasn't thinking straight, and confused, and stupid. I mean, I wouldn't –"

Before Clare could finish her sentence, Eli pressed his mouth to hers, letting all of her troubles wash away. Of all the kisses they ever shared, this was by far her favorite, because it signified that they could through anything. It represented second chances, and that true love really could prevail.

He pulled away, smiling at her. "Did anyone ever tell you that you sometimes talk way to much?" he asked, looking at her with playful eyes.

"No, but I like that method of shutting me up," she joked, wrapping her arms around his neck.

"Just as long as I'm the only one shutting you up," he teased.

"Promise," Clare reassured, kissing him again.

After the kiss, he pulled something out of his pocket, revealing to be the charm bracelet that had been missing from the box. He clasped it around her wrist, holding her arm ever-so softly.

"I want you to have this." He played with the skull charm as it dangled from the bracelet.

"It's absolutely perfect," Clare remarked, rotating her wrist around to look at it from all angles.

Eli shrugged his shoulders. "Eh, I have pretty good taste in jewelry," and he proceeded to kiss her. "And girls," he breathed.

Clare didn't care how stupid she looked, dawning a smile from ear-to-ear.

As if their minds were connected, both of them stood up. Eli put his arm around Clare's neck, and they started walking, no destination in mind.

As Clare was walking with this beautiful boy's arm around her, she knew that her world was right again. All the planets were aligned, and she was even happier than the students she had envied earlier today. Eli had taken her back, and Clare knew that their love was strong enough to withstand anything. She looked up at Eli's face, studying it intricately, loving everything about it. She loved his crooked smile. She loved his messy hair. She loved his dark clothes. She loved his hearse. She loved his obsession with death. She loved his desire to be feared and not fear. She loved his devotion to his friends. Most importantly, she loved him.

As they walked, Eli turned towards Clare's ear and simply whispered, "Nothing could keep us apart."

**THE END**

**Soooo, how did you guys like it? Would you have ended the story differently, or is this what you imagined? I had you guys worried that Eli and Clare might not get together. Now, what kind of world would this be if they weren't? hahaha. I had so much fun writing this story, and I hope that you guys had just as much fun reading it! Please comment! **


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